Knowledge Base

Popular Search teststart testhow tocertificatehow
View Categories

How to Create Test with Sections

Article verified for Release 15.0 on September 9, 2025.

This article explains how to create a test with sections in the YouTestMe system.

Each section functions as an independent test within a larger test. It has its own questions, duration, and passing mark. Additionally, you can set different availability periods for each section and require candidates to pass specific sections to pass the entire test.

Test Creation

To create a test with sections, please follow these instructions:

  1. In the main menu, select Tests and click the New Test tab.
  2. To create a test with sections, check the Test with sections option at the Method step of the test creation wizard.

Defining the Test Settings

In this step, the following options are available:

  1. Duration type:
    • Time defined in each section – Test duration is determined by summing the durations of all sections based on their assigned duration type. For more details, please refer to the following article on How to define the test duration Settings.
    • Time per test – Test-takers have a set total time to complete all sections, allowing them to manage their time across sections as they prefer.
  2. Score report and Report content – Choose when to show the report to candidates and whether to include only the score or both the score and answer details.
  3. If you utilize the workspaces feature, you can restrict the test to a specific workspace.
  4. Proctoring settings – If enabled, a specialized proctoring tool will be used to prevent cheating. For more details, please visit this article on How to create a proctored test.

Test settinacgs

  1. Test instructions dialog settings – Here, you can enter the instructions displayed to candidates when they click the Start Test button. You can also require candidates to acknowledge the instructions and customize the acknowledgment message.
  2. Display advanced settings – Click this button to define the test’s advanced settings, including:
    • Test completion message: If the exam results are not available immediately after completing the test, you can utilize this option to enter a message that will be displayed to candidates once they finish. In this message, you can include any information you wish to share, such as when and how candidates can expect to receive their results.
    • Allow test continuation: By enabling this option, test-takers will have access to a “Continue Later” button that allows them to exit the exam and resume it at a later time. While the candidate is away from the test, the timer stops.
    • Allow test retaking: By enabling this option, you can allow test-takers to retake the test and define retake conditions, such as the allowed number of attempts and the time between retakes.
    • Enable a limited number of free reschedules: When this option is enabled, test-takers can reschedule the exam a limited number of times. Once the limit is reached, they must submit a rescheduling request for further changes.
    • Hide “Finish test” button until last question
    • Enforce section order: When enabled, test-takers will be required to follow the order of the sections in which they were created.
    • Automatically log out the candidate after finishing or pausing: When enabled, candidates will be automatically logged out when they use the finish test or continue later buttons.
    • Browser lockdown on by default: When the exam begins, the questions will be displayed in full-screen mode, and candidates will not be able to access their desktop applications.
    • Configure report lifespan and access duration
    • Require updating the user profile: When enabled, test-takers must update their profile information before starting the test.

Test instructionsCreating Test Sections

At the fourth step, click Add Section to create a new section. You can add as many sections as needed to organize your test effectively. Each section has its own creation wizard, allowing for customized configurations.

Section Creation Wizard

Defining the Section information

In this step, you should:

  1. Enter the Name of the section.
  2. Enter an optional description to provide additional details about the section.
  3. In the advanced settings, you can add attachments to the section. For more details, please refer to this article.

    Defining the Creation Method

    In this step, you can choose between the following methods for adding questions to the section:

    1. Pick questions from pools or create them manually – For detailed instructions on creating and adding questions to a test, please visit this article.
    2. Upload a ready-made test file – Quickly upload your own test file with predefined questions and structure.
    3. Automated Test generator selects questions by difficulty – For more information about how to create a generated test, please view this article.
    4. Automated Test generator selects questions by categories – The system can automatically generate test versions using questions from selected categories, so each candidate may receive different questions.

    Defining the Section Settings

    In this step, you can:

    1. Duration type – Choose how you want to time-limit your test by selecting the duration type:
      • Unlimited – the test will not be time-limited.
      • Time per question – each question in the test will have its time limit. The exact time limit for each question can be configured during the question creation process.
      • Time to answer all questions – set the time limit for the whole test.
      • Page format – set how the questions will be displayed, whether you want to display each question on a separate page or display all questions at once. You can choose between:
        • One question per page
        • All questions on one page
          Note: If the test contains branching questions, the option All questions on one page is automatically disabled. This option is recommended for tests up to 20 questions.
      • Enable “I don’t know” option  – test-takers will be able to check the I don’t know box when answering the question to avoid negative points.
      • Enable answer feedback – This option enables feedback for the selected answers during the test-taking process, which will be displayed upon moving on to the next question. Feedback should be defined during the question creation process.
      • Show question attachments – Show question attachments to candidates during the test-taking process.
      • Show question metadata to candidate – test-takers will be shown question points, type, and difficulty level during the test-taking.
      • Enable Notes: Allow test-takers to take notes within each section using a text editor for formatted text. Notes are only visible to the candidate during the test. This option must be enabled for each section individually. If a section contains attachments, test-takers can open an attachment as a note and write beneath it using the Open this attachment as note option.
      • Enable candidates’ feedback on questions – Allow candidates to leave feedback on each question during the test-taking process.
      • Enable unanswered questions message – Upon selecting the Finish button, the candidate will be provided with a notification detailing their unanswered questions.
      • Require answering all questions – If you choose this option, candidates will be notified that they are required to answer all questions before finishing the test.
      • Disable going backward in the test–test–takers cannot go back to the previous questions while taking the test if you check this option.
      • Disable deselect – do not allow the test-takers to deselect their answers once selected. This applies to the single-choice, multiple-choice, and true/false questions.
      • Enable revisiting section – Candidates can switch between sections until they submit their answers for each section by clicking the ‘Finish section’ button.
      • Automatically logout candidate after finishing – the candidates will be required to log out of the application after test completion.

      Adding Questions

      This step depends on the selected creation method at step 2 of the section creation wizard.

      Pick questions from pools or create them manually

      When this creation method is selected at the second step of the section creation wizard, you can:

      1. Manually create new questions or
      2. Manually select the questions you would like to include in the test section from a question pool already existing in the system.

      Manual creation

      Automated Test generator selects questions by difficulty

      When this creation method is selected at the second step of the section creation wizard, you will be prompted to choose the question pools from which the generator will be pulling questions randomly based on their difficulty level (easy, medium, hard).

      1. Click the Add Question Pool button to select a question pool
      2. Define the number of questions that should be included for each difficulty level

      Based on difficulties

      An additional step called Generator will be added to the section creation wizard when this option is selected. In the Generator step, you will be asked to define the number of points and penalties for each difficulty level, as well as the number of test versions the generator should create.

      1. Define points and penalties for each difficulty level.
        Note: If you prefer to use the points and penalties defined in each question’s settings, enable the “Allow different points in test versions” option when adding question pools.
      2. Enable the “Generate Test Versions Dynamically” option to allow the system to generate an unlimited number of test versions.
      3. Specify the number of unique versions you want the generator to create.
      4. Enable the “Randomize Question Order” and “Randomize Answer Order” options if you want questions and answers to appear in different orders for each candidate.

      Generator - Based on difficulty

      Automated Test generator selects questions by categories

      When this creation method is selected, you will be prompted to define the rules that the generator should follow when creating the test.

      1. Select the question pool you want to use.
      2. Specify the number of questions to include in the test section from the selected question pool.
        Tip: To include all questions from the pool, enable the “Include all questions from question pool” option.
      3. Define the number of points and penalties.
      4. Click the “Add New Condition” button to set specific conditions for each question category.

      Based on categories

      An additional step called Generator will be added to the section creation wizard when this option is selected. In the Generator step, you will be asked to:

      1. Enable the “Generate Test Versions Dynamically” option to allow the system to generate an unlimited number of test versions.
      2. Specify the number of unique versions you want the generator to create.
      3. Enable the “Randomize Question Order” and “Randomize Answer Order” options if you want questions and answers to appear in different orders for each candidate.

       

      Generator - Based on categories

      Reviewing the section settings

      In this step, you can review the specified section settings. If you wish to make edits, you can utilize the Back button or proceed to the final step using the Next button.

      Adding New Sections

      In this step, you can:

      1. Save the created section settings, then return to the test creation wizard using the Save and Continue button.
      2. Save the created section settings, then add a new section using the Add another section button.

      Once you’ve finished adding sections to the test, you will be redirected to Step 4 of the test creation wizard to finalize the test settings.

      Step 4: Grading

      Here are the actions you can take at this step:

      1. Define Passing Mark for the Test: Select the passing mark type, either percentage or points and specify the minimum required score to pass.
      2. Make the Passing Mark Inclusive: Enabling this option allows candidates to pass the test only by achieving an equal passing mark.
      3. Proctoring Report: If the test is proctored, enabling this option ensures candidates cannot pass the exam solely by obtaining a positive proctoring grade. Otherwise, the proctoring report won’t affect the final score.
      4. Show Advanced Settings: In the advanced settings, you’ll have the following options:
        • Map Score to a Grading Scale: Associate specific grades with achieved points or percentages by selecting a previously created grading scale. This mapping helps represent test results as grades (e.g., A to F).
        • Section Groups: Group test sections, set passing mark criteria, or modify passing mark settings.
        • Question Attributes Reports: Use descriptive passing marks to indicate an expected level of knowledge in specific subject areas. Questions are drawn from the displayed question pools.
        • Question Property Reports: Define passing marks based on custom properties assigned to questions. Create dropdown custom question properties within the application and label questions using these values. Optionally, set passing criteria for the test based on these custom values.

         

        Additionally, from the advanced settings, you can define passing criteria for each section:

        1. Edit Passing Mark: Click the pencil icon to edit the passing mark.
        2. Section Requirement: Specify if passing the section is mandatory to pass the entire test.
        3. Set Passing Marks: Choose the required passing score for each section.
        4. Inclusive Mark Option: Enable this to allow candidates to pass if their score is equal to or higher than the passing mark.
        5. Grading Scale: Assign a grading scale you’ve created to represent section results as grades.


        Note: You can reorder the sections by dragging and dropping the table rows.

        Step 5: Certifications

        In this step, you can add a test certificate by clicking the Add Certificate button. This is optional, and you can also add a certificate after the test is published through the test settings. For more details on assigning certificates, refer to the article, How to Create and Manage Certificates.

        Step 6: Review

        In this step, you can review the test settings. It contains a summary of the test settings and a list of sections. If you are satisfied with your test settings, press the Next button to continue the test creation process. If you want to change the test’s configuration, you can still go back and edit it.

        Step 7: Testing sessions

        In this step, you have the option to create testing sessions. The testing sessions allow you to organize tests for candidates located at different locations (e.g., different time zones, states, continents, etc.).

        1. Manually create a testing session – For step-by-step instructions, please refer to this article.
        2. Import testing sessions via Excel – Upload an Excel file to import multiple testing sessions and assign candidates to each session directly within the file. For detailed guidance, see the article.
        3. Skip this step – Since this step is optional, you can skip it and proceed to the final step.

        Step 8: Save test

        The final step in the test creation process is saving your test:

        1. Click Save and Publish to make the test available to candidates. If a testing session has already been created and configured accordingly, the test will immediately become visible.
        2. Click Save as Draft to save your test without publishing it. Even if testing sessions have been created, the test will remain hidden from candidates until it is published.


        After completing the test creation, you will be redirected to the ‘Manage Tests‘ section, where you can publish the test, create testing sessions (if not already done during test creation), and assign candidates as needed.

        For more details on how to create a testing session and assign candidates, please read this article: How to Schedule a Testing Session

        After publishing the test, you can edit its settings, such as:

        • Changing the test name.
        • Adding a description.
        • Exporting, archiving, or creating a copy of the test.

        For more details, please visit this article.

        Candidate’s perspective

        From the candidate’s perspective, the test will be organized into sections, which they can start and complete one by one.

        Candidates can choose to finish a section or complete the entire exam.

        Note:To hide the “Finish section” button in sections where revisiting is allowed, you first need to enable the required module. Go to:
        System > System preferences > Additional modules setup > Enable Module.

         

        After completing a section, the status will change from “Available” to “Completed.”

         

        This structure allows candidates to progress at their own pace while keeping track of the sections they have completed.

        After clicking the Finish Test button, candidates will be shown the number of questions they answered in each section.

        Note: To hide this information from candidates, navigate to:
        System > Settings and Customization > System Preferences > Additional Modules, and toggle off the option “Display answered questions per section on finish dialog.”

        For more details on how to create a test with sections, please watch this video

        For additional related topics, please refer to the following articles:

          create a test, create test, test instructions
          What are your Feelings

          Powered by BetterDocs

          How to Choose the Right Test Creation MethodHow to Create a Test with a Demographic Section